4th FOW League Game: Culdron vs Ricks Panzergrenadiers

Hey Folks,

This was my fourth Flames of War League game, this time I took on Rick's very nicely painted Panzergrenadiers. Rick had IIRC:

• Command + 2 2/3 strength Motorised Panzergrens
• Allied SS Wiking (FT) Panzergrens
• 3 Nebelwerfers
• 2 Tigers!

We rolled up a Cauldron and as we both hadn't played this we though we would give it a bash. He was defending of course and opted to deploy his SS Panzergrens on the hill with the Stab.Zug while one of his smaller Moto Panzergrens was lurking in ambush somewhere. I deployed the Carrier Rota, Command and M10's while the Half track Rota, Panthers and BA-64's where in reserve.

I deployed my Carrier Rota behind the big hill (and out of Immediate Ambush range/ LOS) with the Company Command

Meanwhile my M10's ended up on the other flank (his table side) deployed in the fields and next to building to deny it as an ambush point. There is an objective in the town and another one at the base of the hill that the SS boys are camped on.

Ricks Immediate Ambush: There are Panzergrens in them thar trees! Thankfully they have no LOS but are positioned to flank my main force and disrupt my reserves.
Ricks lads can see anything so the Soviet stream over the hill and start to MG the Trained SS to death (slowly). The M10's add to the fire with 50'cals and the one tank at range lobbing 75mm HE.

Of course they are Fearless so they stick around. We MG them for another turn and not pictured but two Tigers turn up and manage to miss my FA0 Carriers. Eager to escape the death trap the UC Rota disembark and move up to SMG and assault. I decide to not use the flamethrower though in case the Tigers come over to party...bad move. My assault is pinned down with defensive fire due to daisy chaining IC's. I dont suffer many casulties (yet) but below is Ricks counter attack. The Moto Panzergrens storm out and combined with the SS Panzergrens my poor rota are decimated by a hail of fire. The assault then chews them up some what terrible and the three surviving teams break off rather then die futilely. The pass their morale though.
Right. My reserves roll on, the Half Track Rota. I disembark half the platoon and they walk on from the board edge. The combined fire with the IC's M3's 50cals and the assault manage to destroy the small Panzergren platoon and the German CO has to make a Warrior save to survive. We are now contesting the objective.
Meanwhile on Ricks side of the table the M10's have been taking pot shots at the Tigers, losing one for their troubles. Ricks reserves have also arrived and a small Panzergren starts to chase my M10's away from the fields trying to carefull not get 50'cal-ed to death. One M10 sits on the road and manages to get a Tiger while the other 2 swing north of the Village and 50'cal the Nebelwerfers that have just turned up. Poor Rick only got one bombardment off with them before they died and managed to miss horribly.
Meanwhile down by the blood stained hill I continue to work on the SS troops but an assault by the HT Rota is bloodily repulsed with only their command team left to fall back over the hill.

In this shot my Sneaky M10's have managed to Flank the Tiger, but alas can only Bail it.

In the last shot of the game my Panthers have finally moved in from reserve. The ignore the Tigers and move over the hill to MG and assault the remnants of the SS to death and claim the objective. Hurrah!

So after are hard fought and bloody game the Rota emerge Victorious again! The 6-1 is a bit misleading as he managed to completely gut both my Rota platoons and they were lucky to stay on table.

Thanks for the Game Rick, it was super fun.

Cheers

Jason